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The Game Industry at the minute is, well, not too good mainly because of the recession, and like most places of work and industry there aren't too many jobs going, so like most people on this coarse I'm a bit worried. However the industry isn't in such a bad situation as some other industries or bossiness's. This also shows what the major issues of the industry are at the minute, no, or less jobs.
However this article from http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3612/analyze_this_is_the_video_game_.php which basically claims that although the gaming industry has many followers, and people who are willing to spend their money on new releases, that this industry is not untouchable, and even though people are still spending their money they are just spending less of it.
This next website http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/games-already-impacted-by-recession-npd says where the industry might have been if it weren't for the recession, it says that the industry is still growing but would have alot bigger if it weren't for the recent economy problems.
Another problem facing the industry might be, where to go next? how much further can the quality and the upgrades with the new consoles be taken. At the minute the graphics quality of the newest games are already extremely high, so how much better can they make them. Also wit consoles like the Wii which makes the user more involved and active in the playing of the games, where will they go next? and how can they make the player become even more involved and in control of how they play the game.
A problem for people trying to get into the industry, is that it will become increasingly difficult to get in, as the employers will not be taking on substantial people and will be looking for the best which forces everyone to become better, this i don't think is so much of a problem because if everyone is getting better games quality will also increase.


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THE domestic tourism sector will receive a significant boost this summer, as demand for staycations soar.
There has been a major rise in the number of people searching for holiday homes around the country, according to new data.
As lockdown restrictions eased, interest in staycations on MyHome.ie saw a huge uptick in recent weeks.
There was a whopping 112 per cent increase in searches for “Irish holiday homes” in June 2020 compared with the same period the year before.
'HUGE PENT-UP DEMAND'
This is in stark contrast to the early lockdown days as March saw a 48 per cent year-on-year decline in Irish holiday home searches on the website, while April saw a 41 per cent decline over the same period.
In May, there was a 28 per cent increase in searches.
People are hoping to get out of cities for their holidays, as searches for holiday homes in Dublin in June 2020 stayed relatively steady, up by just six per cent compared with the same period in 2019.
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While searches for rural beauty spots such as Kerry and Galway were up 107 per cent and 83 per cent respectively.
MyHome.ie MD Angela Keegan said: “These findings reflect the huge pent-up demand that exists among people after three months of lockdown, which will have a much-needed knock-on effect for a hospitality sector that has suffered badly as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.
“People need a holiday to look forward to after a tough year, and it looks like the domestic economy will benefit from the Government’s continued guidance to avoid non-essential foreign travel.”

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Small business lender BlueVine banks $102.5m in Series F funding
Californian fintech BlueVine has raised $102.5 million in a Series F round of equity funding to build out its checking account product.
At the end of last month the small business ‘fast funding’ provider announced its banking service with Mastercard, which includes a debit card for everyday finances and 1% interest on business user’s balances – higher than traditional checking account rates – with no monthly fees.
The round was led by Israeli investor ION Crossover Partners with participation from existing backers Nationwide, Citi Ventures, Microsoft’s venture fund M12, Slicon Valley Bank (SVB) Capital, California-based Lightspeed Venture Partners, 1976-founded Menlo Ventures and global venture fund 83North.
New investors included Tokyo-based MUFG Innovation Partners, Monaco-based Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s venture capital firm O.G. Tech, Israel, US and Europe-focused fund Vintage Investment Partners, automation software company ION Group and Luxembourg-based Maor Investments.
With a variety of backers from around the world, the non-bank fintech is well placed to launch and scale existing as well as new products – an aim expressed by its CFO Ana Sirbu, who does not clarify to Crunchbase what these new products will be.
Now with a total of $692 million in funding, the jump in capital injections from its $12 million Series E last year is significant.
Investors say they “have witnessed the demand, and frankly the economic need, for BlueVine’s banking services,” confident the company is well-positioned “to change the way small businesses manage their financial needs today and in the future”.
Read next: BlueVine and GovQuote team up to fund SMEs


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Cupra has released a new concept that provides a glimpse at what the company’s upcoming electric SUV could look like.
The Cupra Tavascan Extreme E Concept – revealed at the Munich Motor Show – is said to hint at the look of the upcoming Cupra Tavascan which is due to enter the market in 2024. It’ll also be the firm’s second fully electric model, following on from the upcoming Cupra Born.
The concept, meanwhile, incorporates lighting set into a frame made through 3D printing. By using parts made through this process, they can be more easily replaced as they’re able to be manufactured in just six hours. For Extreme E this could prove invaluable, as parts often get damaged along the course.
Xavi Serra, head of technical development at Cupra Racing, said: “The Cupra Tavascan Extreme E Concept is the next evolution of our all-electric off-road racing car with even more Cupra DNA and a design hints at the brand’s future direction. But it also delivers technical advancement too.
“The Cupra Tavascan Extreme E Concept uses flax fibres throughout the bodywork to improve sustainability and 3D printed elements that can be quickly recreated to keep the racecar out on the track.”
It’s these flax fibres that are integral to the car’s focus on sustainability. By making as much of the body from this material as possible, it reduces the amount of carbon fibre and therefore lowers the vehicle’s impact on the environment. The two materials operate in a similar way and can be worked in the same way, too.
The concept also features a range of copper-coloured accents – a Cupra hallmark – as well as ‘parametric texturing’ and a series of dynamic lines which help to give the car a dramatic look.
Fitted with an electric motor, the Extreme E Concept can manage 0-60mph in under four seconds, while the 54kWh battery is located behind the cockpit for better weight distribution.


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Virgil Abloh took to his personal Instagram to reveal his upcoming sneaker collaboration between his Off-White label and Golden Goose Deluxe Brand. As spotted by Hypebeast, the sneaker itself appears to be a homage to the classic Stan Smith with a few designer updates, of course.
The sneaker doesn’t stray too far from its predecessor but features a chunkier sole and black heel counter, and is finished off with a gold “COLETTE EDT” stamp. It’s safe to say this collaboration was a long time coming. Back in 2014, Abloh posted about his admiration of the Italian brand and even hinted at a possible project between the two.
An exclusive release is set for Jan 23 at Parsian retailer colette, but be sure to stay tuned as more details about the collaboration are revealed.


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The chief executive of one of the North East’s largest companies has called on fellow FTSE members to tackle the blight of late payment to small businesses.
In an open letter published on the Sage Group’s website, UK chief executive Brendan Flattery said the Newcastle-heaquartered business software firm wholeheartedly supported proposals to address the “unacceptable situation” of late payment.
His calls came as the issue of late payment was raised on a national scale, with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the CBI both taking part in a meeting at Downing Street in a bid to tackle poor payment practices.
Mr Flattery said: “The health and vitality of the UK’s SME sector is crucial to the economic future of this country.
“Of the 5.2m private sector businesses in the UK, 99.9% are SMEs. They account for 60% of private sector employment, have a combined turnover of more than £1.6trn (47% of the private sector) and play a crucial role in the wellbeing of society and the development of communities in our cities, towns, villages and rural areas.
“Cash is the fuel of growth for these businesses and is crucial to their wellbeing.
“Without prompt payment, cash flow suffers, employees may not get paid and the livelihoods of many are put at risk.”
Sage, which works with millions of SME customers around the world and more than 800,000 businesses in the UK, is consistently told by its customers that late payments is one of their biggest business challenges, Mr Flattery added.
“Our recent annual late payment study has shown that British businesses continue to be blighted by late payments, with nearly two thirds of firms (60%) having to wait for 60 days or more for payment.
“This is clearly an unacceptable situation and we wholeheartedly support proposals that address this very real issue of late payment.
“We call for all FTSE companies to publicly commit to move towards 30-day payment terms for SME suppliers.
“By making this commitment, FTSE companies can give our small businesses the room to grow and thrive and do their part in growing the economy of this country. Ultimately that’s a win-win situation for all of us.”
The FSB has also stressed the impact of late payment on its members, with recent research suggesting almost one in five of them had suffered some form of ‘supply chain bullying’.
To help tackle the situation, the organisation, along with the CBI and leading FTSE 350 members yesterday met with business and enterprise minister Matthew Hancock at 10 Downing Street.
Speaking to The Journal afterwards, FSB North East regional chairman, Ted Salmon, said: “Following today’s encouraging meeting which brought together a wide range of views and stakeholders, the FSB is calling for a wide ranging inquiry to address late payment and supply chain bullying in one place.
“It must be independently led and produce clear recommendations in time for the next Government to act on early in the next Parliament.”
Mr Salmon congratulated Sage on “providing strong leadership amongst the FTSE 100 companies”, adding: “We hope that the rest of the FTSE 100 and other big business in the North East and beyond follow Sage’s lead.”
Through the Pay Fair campaign, The Journal is encouraging North East companies to take a responsible and ethical approach to paying firms within their supply chain.
We are asking firms to sign the Business Ethics Pledge created by the North East Institute of Business Ethics.
For more information, see http://www.nibe.org.uk/


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Lack of Google and Facebook competition ‘may mean higher prices’
A lack of competition to Google and Facebook could mean consumers are paying higher prices for products such as flights, electronics and insurance, the UK competition regulator said.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also raised concerns about how the technology giants collect data and a “lack of transparency” in the way they operate.
It said their continued dominance could have “negative consequences for the people and businesses who use these services every day” and that there was a “strong argument” for new regulations.
The CMA revealed the findings in an interim report after it launched a review earlier this year into the sector.
CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said: “Most of us visit social media sites and search on the internet every day, but how these firms work can be a mystery.
“At the end of the study, we’ll present our findings to the new government as they decide whether and how to regulate what is an increasingly central sector in all our lives.”
People in the UK spend an average of three hours and 15 minutes online each day with more than a third of that time spent on sites owned by either Google – including YouTube – and Facebook – including Instagram and WhatsApp.
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The digital advertising sector – now much larger than any other form of advertising – is worth £13bn, the CMA said.
Last year, Google earned £6bn in search advertising revenues in the UK – more than 90% of the market.
The CMA said the company had paid £1bn – 16% of this – to be the default search engine on mobile devices such as Apple iPhones.
These default settings had a “profound effect” on choice and the shape of competition, the watchdog said.
Meanwhile, Facebook earned £2bn in display advertising revenues, more than half the UK total.
The CMA said a lack of competition for the companies could mean “a lack of proper choice for consumers and higher prices for advertisers that can mean cost rises for goods and services such as flights, electronics and insurance bought online”.
It also said their market position could be undermining the ability of newspapers and other publishers to produce valuable content as their share of revenue is squeezed.
The regulator said it was “essential that people feel in control of their data” but was worried that this was not always the case.
For example, Facebook did not allow people to opt out of personalised advertising, presenting them with a “take it or leave it” offer that forced them “to share considerable amounts of data as a condition for using the service”.
The CMA set out some measures that could address the issues it found.
These include opening up access to click and query data collected by Google to rivals and limiting its ability to be the default search engine on devices and browsers.
They could also see Facebook required to connect better with rival social networking sites and ensure social platforms must allow people to turn off personal advertising.
Google said it was working constructively with the CMA and the government.
“We’ve built easy-to-use controls that enable people to manage their data in Google’s services – such as the ability to turn off personalised advertising and to automatically delete their search history,” the company said.
Facebook said it was fully committed to the CMA consultation process and agreed people should have control over their data.
“In fact, for every ad we show, we give people the option to find out why they are seeing that ad and an option to turn off ads from that advertiser entirely,” it said.


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The US Department of Agriculture highlighted details of anticipated US feed and agricultural exports in an US agriculture outlook report released Thursday [May 30].
Overall, total agricultural exports for the 2019 fiscal year are anticipated to fall to about $137bn, down $4.5bn from estimates made at the start of the year, said the authors, Kamron Daugherty and Hui Jiang.
“Corn and wheat exports are forecast down $1.4bn and $1.2bn, respectively, on lower volumes and unit values,” they said. “Soybean exports are forecast down $1.5bn to $17bn, driven by lower demand due to African Swine Fever, weak prices, and continuing trade tensions with China.”
“The price premium for South American soybeans temporarily evaporated between early January and mid-May, eliminating the price advantage that US soybeans had in markets outside China,” the authors said. “Weaker soybean demand in China also has contributed to price weakness as US producers continue to hold large stocks.”
“On the other hand, continued strong soybean meal demand and weaker soybean prices have contributed positively to crush margins, so soybean meal prices and export volumes continue to hold steady,” they added.
Total exports of livestock, dairy and poultry products are forecast to fall by $500m, as increases in certain product exports do not completely offset declines in beef, and pork, they said.
Total exports for US grain and feed are forecast to be about $31bn in fiscal year 2019, a drop of $2.7bn from estimates made earlier in the year, they said.
Corn exports are set to decline to about $10.4bn: “US corn continues to be less price-competitive than South American corn."
Sorghum exports also are anticipated to decline based on volume reductions, they said. However, exports of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and alfalfa are expected to be strong, while combined feed and fodder exports remain steady.
Meat export forecasts
Although exports for dairy products are anticipated to increase, the overall export of livestock products is forecast to decline, they said.
Exports of beef products are predicted to be down $300m, while pork exports have been reduced by $100m, the authors said. However, there could be potential for improvement in both areas as the US looks to expand its market share in beef in Asia while producers in Australia face weather challenges.
Similarly, the slow export pace for pork in the start of 2019 has the potential to be offset later in the year based on increased global demand and rising prices following the spread of ASF in Asia, they said.
Total US exports are anticipated to fall in the fiscal year, the report authors said. Declines are predominantly linked to Asia.
“Compared to February, exports to China are forecast down $2.5bn to $6.5bn,” they said. “Shipments to date have been more sluggish than previously expected, especially for soybeans, hides and skins, and feeds and fodders. Exports to Hong Kong are forecast down $800m to $3.8bn, primarily because of lower tree nut and meat sales.”
Exports also are forecast to fall to parts of Southeast Asia with exports to Indonesia falling $200m and to Thailand $300m, they said.
“Exports to Canada and Mexico are forecast unchanged at $21.5bn and $19.7bn, respectively,” the report authors said. “Reduced prospects for US wheat in Mexico are offset by strong demand for US dairy products.”
The forecast for South America also predicts declines following the ongoing political and economic crisis in Venezuela, they said.
Export expectations for North Africa were dropped by $400m, and those to Russia increased by $100m, they said.
Imports of oilseeds and related products are anticipated to fall $200m from predictions made earlier in the year, they said. However, imports of livestock, poultry and dairy products were raised.


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We're still taking bite out of Big Apple for shopping
BARGAIN hunters are still jetting to New York to do their Christmas shopping despite the recession.
The annual transatlantic trek almost became a rite of passage at the height of the boom when well-heeled shoppers would think nothing of spending $10,000 (€7,550) in a single trip, according to Brian Greene of Arrow Tours.
And while those heady days are now long gone, there is still a substantial number of Irish shoppers jetting to the Big Apple.
"The numbers are down from a peak in 2007, but it's still significant," said Aer Lingus spokesman Declan Kearney.
With the euro still trading relatively strongly against the dollar, prices in New York are attractive for Irish shoppers, according to John Fitzgerald, CEO of the Fitzgerald Hotel Group.
"Very often at this time of year about 50pc of our guests are from Ireland," he said.


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While CES is a vast show covering all types of technology, there is always an element of mobile tech worth discussing.
Showing results 1 to 20 of 971
Kevin and Matthew still enjoy chatting about mobile technology after eight years of podcasting. Listen to the show and let them know what you want to hear in 2015.
Sponsored by Redhat and Intel
Easing burdens placed on legacy infrastructure by the rapid growth of mobile technology in the enterprise requires a cloud-based approach.
A new index from the mobile security provider also suggests that iOS has regained its enterprise share from Android, accounting for 69 percent of enterprise device activations.
Asian nation emerges as world's largest adopter of smartphones with a penetration rate of 85 percent, but businesses still aren't providing great experience with 88 percent of mobile consumers reporting access problems.
The Victorian government is dipping into its AU$12 million Technology Innovation Fund to back a program that is aimed at digitising courtroom paperwork and providing a mobile solution for case management and transparency.
Mobile internet-based technology startups have pocketed more than $19.2 billion globally from venture capital and non-public investors over the past 12-month period, with m-commerce making up the biggest single investment category.
NEC Australia is heading back towards profitability, after reporting two annual losses since taking on CSG Technology Solutions for AU$227 million in 2012, according to NEC Australia managing director Tetsuro Akagi.
Sponsored by Redhat and Intel
The technology industry is currently in the midst of a shift from client-server to cloud-mobile - a significant change that occurs very rarely, but one that Red Hat is embracing.
Mobile tech is having a profound impact on society, perhaps none so great as opening up a vast pool of knowledge to the current generation.
The technology entrepreneur and investor questions whether Apple can move the revenue needle with its new products, derides tech buzzwords and talks everything from education to mobile payments to innovation.
Gartner unveils its top 10 business and technology trends for education in 2015. It's unclear how being data driven, mobile and analytics-happy can really move the needle on the business model problems.
Chip makers are racing to complete new technology with 3-D transistors to meet demand for mobile devices that are faster and more efficient.
A new joint venture between Australian NFC technology startup Tapit and Chinese mobile commerce company 99 Wuxian is poised to 'revolutionise' Chinese m-commerce and offline media.
Mobile technology has evolved at a rapid rate, and it’s not slowing down. These things are the five best in the genre today. In addition to these five, there is a bonus technology included that may surprise you.
Mobile processor giant Qualcomm said a regulatory investigation in China and licensees that aren't reporting sales of licensed products will hurt fourth quarter results.
Nokia handsets continues to dominate the UAE mobile market and a new study shows that households in Qatar have access to more technology than in most other countries.
Smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearables. They’re growing like crazy. Even with all of this activity in mobile, it’s not clear what the next disruptor may be nor where it will come from.
Former Australian media tycoon Rupert Murdoch said over the weekend that mobile technology has made the need for an NBN redundant.
Cuscal and CUA have avoided the complexities related to the secure element of an Android phone by launching the redi2PAY mobile payment app featuring Host Card Emulation technology.
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Arabian Adventures unveils Exclusive Collection
One of a kind tours offer 'off-the beaten-track' experiences
Arabian Adventures, the destination management arm of the Emirates Group has announced the launch of its Exclusive Collection, a new bespoke service offering tailor-made excursions aimed at the "discerning traveller looking for a luxurious, yet off-the-beaten-track experience".
The Collection includes one-of-a-kind luxury travel experiences that showcase the essence of the UAE and its local culture and traditions - including visits to private family stables, camel farms belonging to local families; bespoke desert excursions, and a luxurious cruise on the Arabian Gulf. Guests can also opt for experiential activities such as being a conservationist for a day or learning how to cook Arabic cuisine.
Peter Payet, senior vice president, Arabian Adventures said: “The Exclusive Collection is a new opportunity for Arabian Adventures and is a result of listening to what our customers want. It’s not about simply taking a group product and making it private, it is about providing enhanced excursions and unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Arabian Adventures is already renowned for its unparalleled level of service, and this collection takes it to a new level. Whilst this is still a niche market, we see huge potential for growth.”
The Arabian Adventures Exclusive Collection will be promoted via hotel representatives and concierges across Dubai, and is supported by the Exclusive Collection brochure which was launched earlier this month.


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Photo Credit: WS Development by Lindsay Ahern
Starting November 11, the Boston Seaport becomes a winter wonderland filled with seasonal delights! The fourth annual Snowport once again features the European-style, open-air Holiday Market at Snowsport, created with The Makers Show and in partnership with Constant Contact.
Over 120 small businesses, many of which are female and minority-owned, will be selling their festive wares, including vintage apparel, bags made from recycled sails, whimsical lobster nativity scenes, nature-inspired jewelry, Irish trinkets, and Cape Cod-made chocolates.
In between shopping, visitors can dine and sip at 19 food and beverage concepts as part of the 10,000-square-foot outdoor dining space. There is also plenty of recreation available, such as iceless curling and large-scale classic games as well as a pop-up exhibit from The Boston Children’s Museum and the Winter Wish Wall, a 25-foot interactive chalkboard where guests can share their holiday wishes.
The highlight of Snowport’s 2022 season will be the holiday tree lighting and celebration: Light Up Seaport which takes place on December 2.
The Holiday Market is open seven days a week, November 11 – December 31, 2022, with peak season extended hours from December 12 until the end of the year.
Visit www.bostonseaport.xyz/snowport and follow @seaportbos to learn more.


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A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Facebook accusing it of tracking users’ internet usage between April 22, 2010, and Sept. 26, 2011, regardless if they’ve logged out of the network.
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila on Friday, June 30, stated that the plaintiffs didn’t manage to prove that they had “reasonable expectation of privacy,” or suffered “realistic” economic harm or loss.
Facebook Privacy Lawsuit: What You Need To Know
As The Guardian reports, the plaintiffs alleged that Facebook leveraged “like” buttons found on other websites to track which sites they visited, which essentially meant that the world’s largest social media network could create a detailed documentation of their online activity and browsing history. This, argued the plaintiffs, broke federal and state privacy and wiretapping laws.
It works this way: when you stumble upon an article on the web you’d like to share on Facebook, oftentimes there’d already be integrated “buttons” you can click on to share the said article directly to various channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and more. When a user visits a site with a like button, the browser sends information to two places: to Facebook and the server where the page is stored.
The plaintiffs argued that Facebook’s alleged tracking of sites broke federal and state privacy and wiretapping laws. Davila did not agree.
“The fact that a user’s web browser automatically sends the same information to both parties does not establish that one party intercepted the user’s communication with the other,” he said.
The lawsuit adds that Facebook had promised that cookies are deleted when a user logs out. However, the site continued to receive the information until a researcher spilled the beans on Facebook’s behavior in 2011.
Plaintiffs Could Have Blocked Facebook’s Intrusions But Chose Not To: Judge
He also stated that the plaintiffs could have gone out of their way to keep their online activity private, either by using Incognito mode on their preferred browser, or by using an opt-out tool by the Digital Advertising Alliance. But in the end, the judge said they failed to prove that the social media network illegally “intercepted” or eavesdropped on their interactions.
Unfortunately, the plaintiffs can’t go to court again with privacy invasion and wiretapping claims, but what they could do is pursue a renewed breach of contract claim, according to Davila.
The same judge previously had dismissed an earlier version of the lawsuit back in 2015.
Thoughts about the privacy lawsuit against Facebook? What about online activity-based targeted advertising, which seems to be the underlying motivation in this case, suppose Facebook’s behavior is true? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below if you have any thoughts or opinions!


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Police in Sudbury release list of 10 most common crimes
A new crime-prevention campaign titled Coulda Shoulda Woulda identifies the top 10 situations in which victimization can occur.
Those scenarios, as identified by provincial crime experts, include:
- residential break and enters;
- impaired/drugged driving;
- cyber crime/identity theft;
- fraud -- online exchanges;
- theft from vehicles/theft of vehicles;
- theft of bicycles;
- theft from garages, lockers, mailboxes, sheds, and front porches (deliveries);
- awareness of your surroundings to prevent assaults;
- pharmacy thefts/robberies; and
- theft of prescription drugs.
The campaign, through the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, aims to "heighten awareness of the simple things we can all do to protect our property and personal safety and well-being," according to a release.
"We are supporting this year's OACP province-wide campaign, which asks each of us to do the small things that add up to big crime prevention success," said Sgt. Marc Guerin, of the community mobilization unit with Greater Sudbury Police.
The local force promotes crime prevention through a variety of initiatives every year, the release notes, including focused patrols, awareness and education campaigns, the Notification Of Community Crime program, and citizens on patrol.
tap here to see other videos from our team.


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Often, it takes a crisis to bring supply chain weaknesses to light. That's certainly the case with the Coronavirus, or Covid-19. Many companies have failed to adapt their risk management processes to meet the complexity of today’s global supply chains. As the Harvard Business Review recently pointed out, companies already faced serious disruption within this decade, following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. "Almost nine years later,“ says the article, “it seems the lessons of Fukushima must be learned anew as many companies worldwide scramble to identify which of their “invisible” lower-tier suppliers — those with whom they don’t directly deal — are based in the affected regions of China.“ In this blog, we‘re taking a closer look at how third party risk monitoring helps multinationals identify emerging supply chain risks to achieve greater operational resilience.
Supply chain risk multiplies as Coronavirus spreads
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) conducted a special survey regarding the impact of Coronavirus and found that nearly 75% of companies in the U.S. have been disrupted and expect revenue losses as a result—and they aren’t the only ones. ForeignPolicy.com reports that calculations by Michael Essig, professor of supply management at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, found that “... a multinational company such as Volkswagen has 5,000 suppliers (the so-called tier-one suppliers), each with an average of some 250 tier-two suppliers. That means that the company actually has 1.25 million suppliers—the vast majority of whom it doesn’t know.“ The same article notes that the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in China, Wuhan Province, is home to first and second-tier suppliers for at least five million companies worldwide.
Complex supply chains demand ongoing third-party monitoring
The faults, currently made visible by COVID-19, lead to one important conclusion; information is key. It is impossible to identify possible vulnerable links in a supply chain without a detailed picture of it.
How does third party monitoring work?
By making use of natural language processing, machine learning algorithms and data analytics, third party monitoring solutions help companies trace and monitor critical suppliers on a global scale. This allows them to identify possible disruptions earlier to enable agile responses when problems surface—whether due to financial instability of a single supplier or a viral outbreak like we’re currently experiencing. Companies who invest in t supply chain mapping and ongoing third-party monitoring will benefit from greater resilience and a comparative advantage over less proactive competitors.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, experts have seen a dramatic contrast between the responsive measures companies in the private sector have implemented. While a number of companies struggled to gather the crucial information necessary to swiftly adapt to changes and failures in their supply chain, industry competitors who had already mapped their supply chains and continued to monitor them were able to fast-track their responses. As the world fights to get control over Coronavirus, disruption remains in the foreseeable future. And it’s a good reminder that companies need to revisit their existing risk management practices and make third party monitoring a priority moving forward.


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Communications steps up as fraudsters exploit pandemic fears
The ongoing pandemic is driving change in almost every aspect of our lives; from accelerating the shift in attitudes towards traditional working patterns in the City to possibly changing the way we shop forever.
A darker trend has emerged alongside all of this, with online criminals seeing the crisis as an opportune time to take advantage of people’s fears through scams designed to get consumers to act before thinking.
This comes as people are spending an increasing amount of time online during lockdown. Internet providers have reported a surge in online activity since the restrictions on movement were announced, leaving consumers more susceptible to fraud than ever before.
The pandemic shines light on the responsibility banks and other financial institutions have to empathise with their customers, anticipate potential vulnerability and strengthen communications efforts to help protect them from financial harm.
Financial crime has boomed during social isolation
Among these scams is a phishing attempt where criminals send out emails asking for donations to purchase medical preparations and supplies for the NHS to help them fight Covid-19. Other scams play into the current spike in online shopping and home deliveries, where customers are contacted with a fraudulent ‘Track your package’ text and asked to share personal information and card details.
Financial regulators and consumer groups have issued warnings to consumers, with the Pensions Regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Money Pensions Service issuing a joint statement warning people against making rash financial decisions amid the rise in fraudulent activity. A similar warning has also been issued by the Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association (PIMFA).
Last month saw the FCA bolster its efforts to tackle the surge in Covid-19 related fraud by pledging to spend £2.3m on a campaign to build on its existing ScamSmart campaign, which aims to mitigate the harmful effects of fraud. In addition, the National Cyber Security Centre launched a scam reporting service where people can report suspicious emails to the UK government.
Are these warnings and campaigns enough?
Since the start of the pandemic, only one in five banks accredited to hand out the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme implemented protocols to ensure protection against cyber criminals impersonating the organisation. The lack of initiative leaves vulnerable businesses at greater risk of email fraud and financial harm.
The wider spike in financial crime also comes amid reports that banks are ‘refusing’ to refund more than half of fraud victims, claiming that automated warnings are sufficient to inform customers of potential fraud. Damning evidence from the Financial Ombudsman Service suggests some banks expect customers to have a better understanding of scams than what would normally be considered ‘reasonable’.
The pandemic has seen companies move to reemphasise their core principles of empathy and humanitarianism. In all this, companies must exercise empathy towards their customers who are likely to become more vulnerable to scams leveraging their growing financial and social uncertainty.
Communication serves a critical role as opportunistic fraudsters prey on people’s fears. Banks and other financial institutions must step up their efforts to provide transparent and timely updates on the risks posed by financial criminals. The campaign plans by the FCA and NCSC look promising, and if more financial institutions follow suit, it will ensure consumers remain one step ahead of fraudsters – providing well-needed reassurance in these uncertain times.


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Gale Pacific Limited's Synthesis Commercial 95 Waterproof (WP) is a brand name in advanced polymer fabrics for high-end commercial and industrial applications.
Ma?aden Phosphate Company (MPC) started initial ?production from the first production lines of Sulphuric Acid and Phosphoric Acid for captive use ?and Diammonium Phosphate Fertilizer (DAP), the final product, at its production complex in ?Ras Az Zawr.
Vale has delivered its first shipment of pellets to Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) from its US$1.35 billion Palletising Plant and Distribution Centre in Sohar.
Abu Dhabi-based Abdulla Al Masaood & Sons has signed a partnership agreement with Frankische Rohrwerke, a German manufacturer of corrugated plastic pipes.
Honeywell announced that it has been selected by Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd. to deliver an integrated process control system for FERTIL-2, a new fertiliser plant being built near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Alain Charles Middle East FZ-LLC
Office 112, Loft No 2B,
Dubai Media City,
T: +971 (0) 4 448 9260


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CLEVELAND … Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced that Rachael Elliott has been named to the new position of director – Alternative Energy Segment, effective Feb. 1. Elliott will report directly to Jeffrey Krakowiak, senior vice president – Sales and Marketing.
“Rachael will be responsible for leading the company’s global effort to profitably grow sales in the wind, solar, nuclear and other alternative energy segments,” Krakowiak said. “Our corporate portfolio for these segments is growing and we need a coordinated effort across all our businesses to capitalize on our global market opportunities.”
Elliott will be located at Eaton’s Electrical Group headquarters in Cherrington, Penn., and will work directly with the sales and marketing leaders across all of Eaton’s businesses to develop a coordinated approach to growing sales in this segment.
Elliott joined Eaton in 2006 as General Motors global customer director where she led efforts that resulted in Eaton being named a GM Supplier of the Year in 2007. Prior to joining Eaton, she was global director of sales with Dana Corporation's Thermal Products Division. She holds a master’s degree in organizational communication, public relations and marketing and a bachelor’s degree in business from Wayne State University in Michigan.
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2007 sales of $13 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 80,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries.


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On August 10, Petra Diamonds announced that it had recovered a 138.57-carat, Type IIa, D-color diamond at the Cullinan mine in South Africa – the second large diamond to be recovered there in the space of two months. In June, the miner unearthed a 121.26-carat at Cullinan, also of “exceptional color and clarity,” as per the company.
The Cullinan, the oldest diamond pipe in the world, is one of the most famous mines in the world. Established in 1902 as Premier Mine, it was renamed the Cullinan Diamond Mine in November 2003 in celebration of its centenary. Today, Cullinan is owned by a three way partnership consortium: Petra Diamonds, Thembinkosi Mining Investments and Al Rajhi Holdings.
The first significant diamond to come from Cullinan, a 3106-carat rough stone, was unearthed there in 1905. It remains the largest diamond ever to be recovered at Cullinan, and the second largest in the world. It was named after the chairman of the mine, Thomas Cullinan, presented to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom for his 66th birthday, and then cut into several polished gems. The largest – Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa – weighs 530.4 carats. Cullinan II weighs 317.4 carats. Both diamonds are exhibited at the Tower of London.
Cullinan is also a source of large, gem-quality blue diamonds. The mine has yielded the “Blue Moon of Josephine”, which sold for $48.5 million at Sotheby’s in November 2015. The Cullinan-sourced blue gem eclipsed the previous record, held by “The Graff Pink”, which sold for $46,158,674 at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2010.
To date, Cullinan has produced over 800 stones weighing more than 100 carats. According to The National Jeweler website, 140 stones weighed more than 200 carats, and around a quarter of all diamonds weighed more than 400 carats. According to Cullinan Diamonds, the mine’s official website, the Cullinan Diamond Mine is expected to produce one million carats per year over the next 20 to 40 years.


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PC maker Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) would deploy cash flows to fund acquisitions to boost growth, Reuters reported. Dell could acquire small and medium size companies that would give it access to new technologies, Michael Dell, CEO, said at a business event in Bangalore.
Dell has been on a buying spree last year snapping up companies in different verticals as it wants to diversify itself from a hardware company to the high-margin software, security and cloud computing businesses.
In 2011, the company bought storage firm Compellent; data center networking firm Force10 Networks; Security firm SecureWorks; and cloud computing firm Boomi.
The third quarter results showed that the company's acquisitions are paying dividends as revenue from services business rose 6 percent to $3.05 billion and accounted for about 20 percent of its total sales of $15.4 billion. The segment also delivered gross margin of 31 percent.
As of Oct.28, 2011, Dell has $13.3 billion in cash and cash equivalents. With Dell spreading its acquisition net, let's see who could be the possible takeover targets.
"We believe Dell is on the prowl for a $1B to $3B acquisition in the software space, specifically systems software," Jefferies analyst Peter Misek wrote in a note to clients.
The analyst, who said that Dell is searching for a smaller company most likely an Asian or European player, said Dell's acquisition target will depend on whether they are trying to leverage the core Dell sales channel or alternatively, trying to bolster Perot's positions within certain target segments. The latter would point to a horizontal vendor rather than anything too vertically-specific.
Following are the Dell's possible acquisition targets, according to Jefferies:
CommVault Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVLT):
CommVault, which provides data and information management software applications, has long been subject of M&A speculation by Dell as Dell has consistently represented 22-25 percent of Commvault's revenue through an OEM and reseller arrangement.
"Given Dell's storage investments and the end of the OEM arrangement with EMC, it would make sense for Dell to add backup/information management software," Misek said.
Quest Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:QSFT):
The acquisition of Quest Software would make a lot of sense for Dell, particularly on the margin front.
"We believe Quest would bring greater absolute dollar margin accretion to Dell than CVLT or SWI given the slightly larger size. QSFT will do about $1B in revenue with 20% operating margins (25% EDITDA) and could easily see 10 points-plus of margin accretion on just expense synergies alone," the analyst noted.
Quest Software provides management tools with about 60-70 percent of revenue based on Windows and VMware platform – ideal for indirect distribution and these businesses has lower average selling prices (ASP) and higher volume.
SolarWinds, Inc. (NYSE:SWI):
Jefferies said the entire business model of SolarWinds, which makes enterprise IT infrastructure management software, is about a disruptive sales distribution model. It is a freemium model with low ASPs, short sales cycles, and with lead generation based entirely on web marketing/traffic.
"Due to the low ASPs and comp structure, SWI would not fit well into an HPQ or IBM, but we think SWI would work with Dell's indirect model and Dell is one of the very few strategic buyers that could make sense for SWI," Misek said.
Jefferies said among the three CommVault and Quest Software make the most sense. Meanwhile, other acquisition targets include Constellation Software (TSX:CSU), Fair Isaac (NYSE:FICO), Beijing Ultrapower Software, Pegasystems (NASDAQ:PEGA), NetScout Systems (NASDAQ:NTCT) and Jive Software (NASDAQ:JIVE).


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Wijnaldum admits uncertainty over Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk's injury Reds midfielder Wijnaldum has opened up on how it was "difficult" to know whether to contact Van Dijk in the immediate aftermath of his anterior cruciate ligament injury
Poland to reopen shopping malls next week despite surge in Covid-19 cases
Shopping centers across Poland will be allowed to reopen next week despite a recent surge in coronavirus cases, PM Mateusz Morawiecki has said, insisting the move would save hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Warsaw is planning to loosen some of the restrictions it introduced earlier this month in wake of an explosive surge in coronavirus cases, Morawiecki revealed during a press briefing on Saturday.Shopping malls will be allowed to reopen starting from November 28, enabling retailers to reap profits ahead of Christmas holidays.
“There is one condition ... the discipline of every shop, mall, furniture store. If not, these stores will be closed,” Morawiecki said, adding that such a move was crucial for the country's economy.
These decisions can save hundreds of thousands of jobs, which is why we are taking them.
At the same time, the PM warned Poles against spending their Christmas holidays traveling, urging them to stay home and limit their contacts only to their closest family members. The government is currently working on new restrictions to limit potential travel during holidays, Morawiecki said.
“Reducing contacts is fundamental for the further development of the pandemic. We are working on legal options to limit movement,” he added.
Up until late September, Poland enjoyed a very stable coronavirus situation with well less than 1,000 cases registered daily. The country has faced an explosive surge in confirmed cases recently, with the daily tally peaking on November 7 and nearly reaching the 28,000 mark.


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WestRock and other players in the paper supply chain recently completed a pilot project that collected and recycled 25 million fiber cups from Starbucks.
Through the pilot project, collected Starbucks coffee cups were sent to recycled paper company Sustana, which used the material to create 100 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.
That material was sent to WestRock’s paper mill in Evadale, Texas. There, the feedstock was blended with virgin fiber to create cupstock, the paperboard product used for new cup manufacturing.
Finally, the cupstock was shipped to packaging converter Seda, which created the final Starbucks cups from the blended fiber.
“We’ve been working together for many years to advance the potential to recycle cups, and it’s so great to demonstrate its viability,” said Rhea Hale, public policy director for WestRock, in a video detailing how the project worked.
The project was also discussed during a session at SPC Advance in Boston in late September.
“The project proved that if collection systems exist, recycling paper cups and turning them into fiber for new cups is a sustainable alternative to landfilling, with both environmental and economic benefits,” wrote Jay Hunsberger, vice president of marketing and sales for Sustana, in an announcement about the project.
In addition to this effort, WestRock also recently announced it has begun accepting food-service packaging, including coffee cups, at eight of its recycled paperboard mills.
Photo credit: Boyloso/Shutterstock
More stories about challenging materials
- MRF battery fires burn ‘really fast’ and ‘really hot’
- Textile recycling is at a pivotal moment, experts say
- Tech to spot hidden batteries draws $6.4M investment


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Lululemon's head of products is out after last month's see-through yoga pants fiasco.
Vancouver-based Lululemon Athletica (said Wednesday that Sheree Waterson, its chief product officer, will step down on April 15 after five years at the company. )
Waterson's exit comes quickly on the heels of the company's large recall of Lululemon's popular black yoga pants last month.
The pants were recalled because they were unintentionally see-through. The defective product represented 17% of all women's yoga pants sold in Lululemon stores, and prompted a shortage of the pants.
Last month, the retailer warned that the recall would significantly hurt its financial results. The company, expected to report first-quarter results in June, said same-store sales are projected to increase 5% to 8% in the period, down from its earlier forecast for a gain of 11%.
|GM's $1.3 billion recall cost wipes out profit|
|Will 7 Apples a day keep the bears away? - The Buzz|
|Taxpayers are subsidizing CEO pay - The Buzz|
|Regulators pave way for Internet "fast lane" with net neutrality rules|
|Postal workers to protest at Staples|


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Russia: price increase for wheat flour
In the current week in Russia there is observed some increasing of wheat flour offer prices, due to significant costs rise for milling wheat purchasing prices for further processing. The average price growth totaled 200-600 RUR/t compared with the previous week.
According to APK-Inform data, in the Central Black Earth Region the offer prices for top- and 1-grade milling flour varied within the range of 12300-12800 RUR/t and 11200-11800 RUR/t EXW, respectively.
In Volgo-Vyatsk region the top- and 1-grade milling flour offer prices totaled 12700-13500 RUR/t and 12200-13700 RUR/t EXW, respectively.
In the North-West region the offer prices for top- and 1-grade flour were declared within the range of 13800-15000 RUR/t and 12800-13700 RUR/t EXW, respectively.
In the West-Siberia region flour millers fixed the prices for top- and 1-grade final products at the level of 13000-14500 RUR/t and 11000-12500 RUR/t EXW, respectively.
It is worth noting that representatives of flour milling companies informed that the consumers started actively purchasing flour volumes, worrying on the further price increase.
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Russia harvested over 134 mln tonnes of grains - Ministry of Agriculture
In October 2017, Russia to break another record of monthly grain exports - Rusagrotrans
In the third week of October, the Russian seaports slightly decreased grain export volumes
In January-August, Russia exported over 22 mln tonnes of grains - Rosstat
Russia exported over 14 mln tonnes of grains - Ministry of Agriculture
Kernel acquired 200 mln USD loan to increase sunflower oil production in Ukraine
October 20, 15:30
In the first quarter of 2017/18 MY, Bangladesh took the 4th position in Russian grains and oilseeds imports
October 20, 13:00
Russia almost completed the harvesting campaign of wheat
October 20, 12:00


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Aimed at boosting the domestic manufacturing of telecom equipment and smart phones, the Centre is likely to announce a package to investors in the proposed new telecom policy.
The policy, which will be rolled out early next year, will emphasis on creating employment opportunities by encouraging domestic manufacturing of telecom equipment and reduce the dependency of import, said an official in the DOT.
Already 75 mobile phone and accessories manufacturing companies have set up their plants in India. In 2016-17, India produced about 175 million handset units valued at Rs 900 billion from 110 million handsets worth Rs 540 billion in the previous year, said the official.
In July, the government imposed 10 percent basic customs duty on mobile phones and parts like charger, headsets, battery and USB cable, as the government discourage import. The government expects this will help achieve 500 million handsets production target for 2019.
Apart from this, in the electronic manufacturing segment, production of LCD/LED television sets have gone up from 82 lakh units in 2014-15 to 15 million units in 2016-17.
As the government set the target to achieve Indian digital economy $1 trillion by 2022 from around $450 billion at present, the government is aggressively pushing growth in electronic manufacturing, IT/ITeS, cyber security, telecom, ecommerce and digital payments.
As of now, the Indian electronics market is estimated to be around $100 billion, IT sector $160 billion, telecom $80 billion, ecommerce $30 billion, and the rest are estimated to be the size of shared economy like taxi hailing services and startups.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT has projected IT and ITeS sector to grow to $350 billion by 2025 from $160 billion, while the electronics sector is poised to touch $300 billion by the same time (from $100 billion currently).


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WhatsApp for Business
2019. WhatsApp’s Business app came to the iPhone
Previously Android-only WhatsApp Business app is today launching on the iPhone. The iOS version, like its Android counterpart, is designed to help small business owners reach their customers on smartphones. That means it includes the ability for businesses to create profiles that include their description, email, address and website, as well as messaging tools for customer communication like automated greetings, quick replies and away messages. Businesses also can use WhatsApp Business from their desktop computer, which in January rolled out tools to organize and filter chats as well as quick replies. At the time, WhatsApp said it had 5 million business customers. The company makes money by charging Business API customers who have large volumes of incoming messages.
2019. WhatsApp Business app added customer service features to its desktop and web apps
A year ago, WhatsApp officially introduced its standalone app aimed at small business customers. And now it’s making the app easier to use on the desktop and the web by porting over several of the most popular features that were previously available only on mobile. These include tools to organize and filter chats, as well as to quickly reply to customer inquiries. Quick Replies feature lets businesses respond to common questions from customers with pre-written replies. It joins several other customer service features, like automated greeting messages that are triggered when the customer pings the business account, or away messages that can be scheduled for those times when you’re not able to immediately answer new inquiries.
2018. WhatsApp launched encrypted group video calls
WhatsApp has supported video calling since 2016, but calls were, until now, limited to two participants. With the latest change, the app is upping its support to four total participants. That's a fairly modest increase, particularly compared to other services. Facebook Messenger supports group video calls of up to 50, while Skype supports 25 participants. But the feature is likely more challenging for WhatsApp than some of its competitors. Its video calls, like other messages sent within the app, are end-to-end encrypted by default, for one thing. The company also needs to ensure new features are optimized for people with slower connections and older devices.
2018. WhatsApp launches its app for business
WhatsApp today officially launched its new WhatsApp Business app in select markets, including Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S., ahead of its planned worldwide rollout. Aimed at smaller businesses, the free app – Android-only for now – helps companies better connect with their customers and establish an official presence on WhatsApp’s service. Essentially, it’s the WhatsApp version of a Facebook Page. With the new app arriving today, small companies can set up their WhatsApp Business profiles by filling out information like a business description, email, address and website.
2017. WhatsApp launched business-accounts
Messager WhatsApp (that belongs to Facebook) is experimenting with giving businesses verified accounts on its platform. Business accounts will be displayed with a green tick badge next to them (like in alternative messenger Viber) — which denotes that WhatsApp has “confirmed” their phone number belongs to a business account. WhatsApp will also offer a free app WhatsApp Business to small-to-medium sized businesses, though it hasn’t outlined the specific functionality of the app. The enterprise solution will allow global companies “to provide customers with useful notifications like flight times, delivery confirmations, and other updates”. For now you can register business account only if invited by WhatsApp.
2017. WhatsApp enabled two-factor authentication for everyone
WhatsApp is making two-factor verification possible for all of its one billion plus users. By using a passcode to verify your phone number it decreases the likelihood a WhatsApp account can be accessed by a third party. WhatsApp, which has been heavily criticised for sharing user information with the Facebook family of companies, says providing it with your email address will allow for two-step verification to be turned off if the passcode is forgotten. WhatsApp says two-step verification is an optional feature. To turn it on, make sure you have the latest version of the app, and go to Settings. From settings, visit account, then two-step verification and press enable.


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The 7 percent unemployment rate accompanied a gain of 203,000 jobs
A Needham & Co. report estimates that most cable TV channels would vanish if consumers could—as they say they'd prefer—spend $30 monthly on 15 to 20 channels
Democrats have a lock on the dozen largest cities in the U.S.
It lets customers go off the grid when utilities charge their highest rates and provides a backup during outages
The settlement ends an eight-year legal fight waged by African American brokers
Jeff Bezos's plan to deliver packages via unmanned aerial drones is crazy—which means you shouldn't bet against him
After selling out 5,000 designer Starbucks cards in six minutes last year, Starbucks is offering a mere 1,000 of them at noon on Friday
Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management reclaims the top stop after a two-year absence
Immigrant entrepreneurs and companies with intellectual property are more likely to hire
Design that Matters
Design: Design that Matters
Price: Approx. $15
Kinkajou brings nighttime literacy instruction to underserved demographics. Combining a literacy library with a solar-powered projector, the system is rugged, lightweight, and requires little energy. It stores up to 10,000 images, which are used to teach written words and phrases. The project's light source is a 5-watt, white LED, rated to last 100,000 hours.


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Archos GamePad available in U.K. for £129.99
Roshan Ashraf Shaikh / 5 years ago
Archos’ GamePad was unveiled back in August but until now, its not been available on the UK markets.
The device uses a Dual Core Cortex A9 1.6GHz processor with a quad-core Mali 400mp GPU and a 7″ capacitive screen with 1024 x 600 resolution. Keeping gaming in mind, Archos designed this unit with physical controls like most portable gaming systems.
In total, there are two analogue sticks, 12 additional buttonw around the system, in a similar fashion to Sony’s PSP system. The gamepad also features Google certification, allowing access to the play store. As an Archos’ speciality, this also includes its own media centre tool which enables wireless media sharing, 1080p decoding and much more.
The Gamepad was launched during October and sold out very quickly and shortly after a replenishment of stock, stores soon found empty shelves once more. Looking at the high demand of this device, the new batches are expected to arrive on December 18, 2012.


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In an antitrust case against Google, economist Michael Whinston testified that in 2017, Google changed its advertising auction method, causing prices to rise by 15% and potentially earning the company billions in additional revenue.
Google’s auction system had winners pay just one cent more than the runner-up. In 2016, Google discovered that the runner-up often bid only 80% of the winner’s offer. To close this gap, Google gave the second-place bidder a built-in advantage to make their offer more competitive.
Whinston stated that Google’s ability to modify these rules illustrates its control over online advertising. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Google unlawfully maintains a monopoly over online search by paying web browsers and smartphone makers to make it the default option.
Search ads make up over 60% of Google’s total revenue, amounting to more than $100 billion in 2020. The case continues to unfold, with potentially significant implications for Google’s future in the advertising industry.
Source: Financial Express


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In the latest SOP released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Centre has issued directions that pave the way for online payments of National Permit Authorisation for goods vehicles, offering much-needed respite to transporters.
This step has been taken to facilitate the online payment of National Permit fee to make the entire process faceless.
Visits to the STA/RTO office will no longer be required with the rolling out of the online payment mode, it maintained.
“NIC(HQ) shall provide all the support in rolling out this facility at the earliest”, the advisory said while directing the National Informatics Centre to facilitate and support the launch of the facility.
This move has been welcomed by transporters who believe that it will lead to quicker and easier processing of Permits.
The All India Transporters Welfare Association(AITWA) has embraced this development in a tweet and has underlined how the advisory will “benefit over 12 lac National Permit vehicles in getting their annual permit in a faster and easier manner”.
All that is left is for states to implement it, AITWA shares.


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French Fashion Designer Marine Serre presented her Spring Summer 2023 Women’s and Men’s collection during the recently finished Paris Fashion Week. Constantly questioning the format of a traditional fashion show, the designer invited 1000 members of general public to attend the show along with the industry professionals. “It is crucial for me to experiment with the boundaries of a fashion show, the priority is to find a way to connect with the audience and our community” – said the designer.
Last Saturday MARINE SERRE show concentrates on our State of Soul, which is our own—slightly unconventional—translation of the French état d’esprit. After all of the anxiety, isolation and losses of the past years, as we continue to face challenges in the struggle to improve our world, it’s clear to us that our State of Soul is definitely in need of the regenerative power that comes from joining together in joyful celebration. And that helps explain the many unusual choices that we’ve made for the presentation of our latest collection. – from Marine Serre.
Presented in an unusual location of a track field venue, the “State of Soul” show celebrated brand’s 6 years anniversary. The designer invited the guests to leave their phones and everyday worries, to be completely in the moment, and to connect in new ways to nature and others.
The collection features a range of athletic swimwear made from recycled fibers, as well as a sculptural bodycon pieces from upcycled denim. Gardener inspired designs will allow you to be stylish while working the earth. The grunge looks are inspired by the iconic and colorful twinsets of ‘90s Parisian runways. The latest iteration of the house’s signature moon print in black closed the show.
So, it’s been six years. And over those many seasons, MARINE SERRE has been celebrated for its distinctive reliance on regenerated materials to creatively transform fashion’s conventions and expectations. Today, as we mark this special anniversary, we hope that we can all begin to mutate our State of Soul, joining together to rely on the regenerative power of collective celebration. – Marine Serre.


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Lifestyle diseases are one of the growing health concerns in India. According to a 2020 report by the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, India is currently facing the problem of the double burden of undernutrition and overnutrition. The report revealed that over 135 million people in the country are suffering from obesity.
Having battled PCOS and gall-bladder related issues personally, entrepreneur Snigdha Kumar was looking for healthier food options to manage her health and understood that there was a need to help people realise the importance of healthy diet food options.
In order to address this problem, former Flipkart colleagues Snigdha and Shrijit Venkatesh launched Cora Health in May 2020. Bengaluru-based health and wellness startup Cora Health offers an ecommerce platform that helps users get access to healthy food alternatives.
Prior to starting up, Snigha who completed her engineering from Nirma and MBA from MICA Ahmedabad, was heading the marketplace category of food, nutrition, and healthcare at Flipkart. Meanwhile, Shrijit, ISB Hyderabad and NIT Durgapur alumnus was heading Category Design and Operations for the largest business unit in Flipkart.
Read more at: This ex-Flipkart employees’ startup is helping people tackle lifestyle diseases with nutritious food


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“The trajectory of the US economy depends a great deal upon the actions of and investments into America’s startups—innovation, entrepreneurship, and rapid growth are their hallmarks.” This according to a recent report from Deloitte points to the role of these businesses in the broader investment landscape. However, with startups operating in an unclear business landscape, it’s important for leaders to understand what’s going on in this business landscape.
After a tumultuous year, Deloitte wanted to look at the challenges and constant changes that emerging companies will face in the coming years. Completing their survey during the middle of 2020, the recent report sought the opinions of senior executives representing 236 privately held companies headquartered in the United States with at least some venture capital funding.
Executives represented a variety of industries including consumer and industrial products, energy and resources, financial services, life sciences, health care, technology, media, and telecommunications and answers helped to paint a clear picture of expectations during lockdowns and the pandemic. Here are just some of the takeaways:
Varying Impact of COVID-19 on Exit Timelines
The past year had a varying impact on growth stage companies. With many companies already knowing their expected exit strategy, nearly half found themselves on the same path despite the pandemic—with 40 percent seeing their exit strategy unchanged and 8 percent moving up their exit date in response to the pandemic.
Among those who did delay their exit, the main reason for this delay was a lack of sales, followed by closures and lowered expectations.
“Most (70%) cite flat or declining sales as at least one of the reasons. A significant share (43%) say they had to close or partially close their company. Another common reason is an expectation that the market will not yield the targeted IPO price (32%).”
Technology Use among Startups
Though many may believe that QuickBooks is the de facto startup accounting technology, many have found value in other products to manage their financials.
Yes, QuickBooks remains the most commonly used platform with one quarter of respondents opting to use the entry-level product, but this is closely followed by mainstays in the ERP space. According to the survey, 18 percent each used Oracle and its cloud acquisition, NetSuite; 14 percent used SAP; with 12, 8, and 7 percent using Intacct, GP, and Workday.
“NetSuite is about three time more common than Oracle (21% versus 7%) among startups with $25 million or less in revenue and startups pursuing an IPO (28% versus 12%). NetSuite is also common among EGCs less than a year from exit (36%). That said, nearly a third of this near-to-exit group (32%) is still using QuickBooks. Oracle is more common than NetSuite (45% versus 36%) among companies with revenue of $26 million or more. It’s also significantly more common among companies with no plans to exit (29% versus 7%).”
When looking at monthly close, FloQast was the choice of companies with an IPO on the horizon, with nearly 50% opting to use this product to help clear the path for an offering.
A Continued Focus on Remote Work
Even after the pandemic is under control, a healthy number of respondents found themselves offering remote work for the foreseeable future. According to Deloitte,
“Half of all companies plan to continue offering employees the ability to work from home when pandemic restrictions are eased. Among IPO-bound companies, the proportion is even higher: 62%. But among companies within two years of exit, the same proportion also say working remotely is a challenge in closing their books.”
Additionally, incentives vary by revenue. Smaller startups offer few incentives, with companies at lower levels of capital funding less likely to offer employee incentives in the post–COVID-19 pandemic environment.
Learn More: Startup Scaled to IPO
Looking to learn more about the common pitfalls and opportunities on the road to IPO? Last year, the Controllers Council held a roundtable on a controller’s journey leading the company through the IPO process: Startup Scaled to IPO.
On July 16, 2020, Controllers Council hosted a webcast featuring Brandt Kucharski, Chief Accounting Officer of Grubhub, and Michael Whitmire, CEO of FloQast.
Brandt Kucharski was an early stage executive with Grubhub, and managed accounting from startup, through 5 rounds of investment capital, IPO, and going public with more than $5 billion market capitalization. Mike Whitmire, CEO of FloQast and Controllers Council Director will moderate and contribute his own experiences with startup funding.


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Kraft Heinz Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., opened the Global Centre of Excellence at the Zuidas in Amsterdam, and will move the head office from Benelux to Amsterdam as well.
“There are brilliant talents here. From the best universities in the world. Experts in specialisms such as media buying, manufacturing, supply chain, revenue management and operations. Here, the Kraft Heinz of the future is shaped. Through smart innovations. By introducing the best practices worldwide. With this center, we want to outline the contours of the food industry 3.0,” says Rafa Oliveir, zone president of Kraft Heinz EMEA. In total, the office accommodates 450 employees.
The Amsterdam office is Kraft Heinz’ largest office location in the Europe, Middle East and Africa Zone, housing 450 employees. Together, with its R&D and culinary center in Nijmegen and its Elst factory, The Netherlands is home to over 800 Kraft Heinz employees.
“It is not just that the Netherlands that is the growth engine of Kraft Heinz,” adds Oliveira. “Our ties go back to 1958 with the acquisition of our factory in Elst to build the largest ketchup factory in Europe. Our local brands such as Honig, Venz, Karvan Cévitam, Roosvicee and De Ruijter are much beloved local brands and give us roots as far back as 1860. Moreover, our second largest innovation center in the world is located in Nijmegen.”
Since Amsterdam is in the central time zone, it can cover the globe from its new tech office. For instance, it’s just 10 minutes from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and international flight connections and is neighbors with the VU University and the University of Amsterdam.
“Our dynamic Kraft Heinz culture is grounded in ownership and meritocracy,” says Oliveir. “Our CEO Benelux is just 32 years old and has grown in our organization from within moving across different countries and departments like finance, sales and category. Brilliant talents who share our dream and find new ways to growth and success. Talented students who want to be part of the Champions League of the multinationals are at the right address. That is why we have been working together with the Business School of the VU for some time to discover the pearls that will contribute to the further growth of Kraft Heinz.”


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GAME has listed that their initial stock allocation for the Neon Red and Neon Blue Nintendo Switch bundle has sold out, promising that they are “working with Nintendo to bring in more stock for launch day.”
The Grey Nintendo Switch bundle hasn’t been met with the same level of demand, as, on the product page, the specialist retailer mentions: “At this time we have not received official confirmation of stock allocation. Until we have our allocation confirmed by Nintendo we cannot guarantee that every order will be fulfilled for launch.”
GameStop has faced a similar situation in North America where both bundles have sold out, promising that they were “working closely with Nintendo” to secure additional stock.
“The fact that this initial allotment has been completely reserved in a matter of a few days demonstrates gamers desire for this fun and revolutionary gaming system,” shared GameStop senior vice president of merchandising Bob Puzon. “We’re working closely with Nintendo to get additional Nintendo Switch units, and will let our customers know when they become available.”
Nintendo Switch will launch worldwide on Friday 3rd March, priced at £279.99 ($299.99).


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Update December 18: With the days counting down to the August 6-12 PGA Championship at Kiawah, the forecasters are continuing to tell a story of many dollars.
The Post and Courier's Warren Wise has followed eight months behind the Charleston Regional Business Journal report (mentioned below) and has a more complete picture of the estimated $92 million in spending and 832 jobs; take a read here.
Update April 11: With record breaking ticket sales already on the books, a newly released study is predicting vast amounts Lowcountry visitors and a jaw dropping economic impact.
According to a College of Charleston School of Business study, the PGA Championships will bring more than 50,000 visitors and a local economic impact of $92 million.
The Charleston Regional Business Journal has an article which explores the additional benefits the Charleston area will receive during the globally televised event. For more on the PGA's potential impacts on the local landscape, click here.
Update December 6, Saturday sold out: The 2012 PGA Championship today announced a historic first: all daily grounds tickets for Saturday, August 11, 2012, have been sold.
That's some 20 months prior to the event. According to the group, never before has a PGA Championship sold out of daily tickets for any single round this far in advance of Championship play.
It is projected that Sunday’s daily grounds tickets and the week-long Wanamaker Club tickets will be the next two sets to sell out for the week-long event.
If you'd like to get dibs on upcoming ticket sales or learn more about the 2012 tournament, head here.
First reporting, December 12: Live 5 News reports that ticket sales for the 2012 PGA Championship set for the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island have already broken PGA sales records.
Daily sales have hit new records for the PGA and by the end of December, PGA officials predict nearly $400,000 in state tax revenue will be generated by advance sales for the golf tournament.
If you haven't already hopped on board, pre-registration for tickets sales are still available. Register today.


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Latest News on Infinity V Display
Showing of 0 - 10 from 3 results
Infinity V Display - Total results - 3
Mar 19, 2019
Samsung to hold an event on 10 April; might launch Galaxy A90 with two more phonesGalaxy A90 is rumoured to be the first Samsung smartphone with a pop-up selfie camera.
Feb 27, 2019
Leaked Samsung Galaxy A10 renders show single rear camera, Infinity V-displayThe renders do not show a fingerprint reader and suggest that the A10 might rely only on face unlock.
Jan 28, 2019
Samsung launches it's budget-focussed Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 smartphones in IndiaThe Samsung Galaxy M20 and Galaxy M10 will be sold on Amazon India and Samsung.com from 5 February.


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Sometimes we just despair for the human species. Perhaps it might be time for us to resign and make way for intelligent life. Such is our reaction to this latest report about electronic cigarettes:
E-cigarettes need to be more strictly controlled to stop teenagers using them, health professionals have argued.
The call was prompted by new research showing that 19% of 14-17 year olds have tried the products despite them only becoming available in recent years.
An analysis by researchers at Liverpool John Moores University found that the e-cigarettes were used by 5% of teenagers who had never smoked, 50% of former smokers and 67% of light smokers.
Or as the BBC reported:
Many teenagers, even those who have never smoked, are experimenting with e-cigarettes, researchers in north-west England say.
Questionnaires completed by 16,193 14 to 17-year-olds, published in BMC Public Health, showed one in five had tried or bought e-cigarettes.
The researchers said e-cigarettes were the "alcopops of the nicotine world" and needed tougher controls.
The truth is, of course, that these results show that electronic cigarettes are an entirely marvelous product that are likely to save many lives in the future. Yes, lots of teenagers are using them. But what is the effect of their using them? As one of us has pointed out elsewhere:
That halving of teen smoking rates coincides with the invention and introduction of vaping (overlaps at least, the first devices really came in 2007). And other studies show very much the same thing. People use vaping equipment instead of smoking, not as a gateway to it nor does vaping increase smoking prevalence. It is thus a substitute, not a complement. As such of course it is to be greatly welcomed.
Electronic cigarettes lead to less smoking of cigarettes. Thus, far from our wondering about whether we ought to regulate them more the actual discussion should be about whether they are quite so wonderful that we ought to be subsidising them.


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Canada and California team up to tackle vehicle climate pollution
“As the world’s fifth-largest economy and a global leader in clean transportation, California is a leading example of how climate action can be good for people, the environment and the economy. We look forward to working with California to fight climate change, keep the air clean and give drivers better options for cleaner, more affordable vehicles. By supporting clean innovation in Canada’s auto sector, we can build the vehicles of the future here at home, create good jobs, and remain competitive—all while reducing pollution and helping Canadians save hundreds of dollars a year at the pump.”
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“We are making it easier and more affordable for people to own more efficient and non-emitting vehicles, and we continue to work with partners around the world to provide that choice. Improving air quality, and lowering day-to-day costs for families remains a top priority for our government.”
– Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources
“California takes a backseat to no one when it comes to combatting climate change, standing up for clean air and protecting the health of future generations. We look forward to working with Canada to adopt clean technologies that take us closer to our clean air goals.”
– Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
“Both California and Canada are committed to our clean car future. We both recognize that cleaner vehicles and fuels will be critical to combating climate change, cleaning up air across our communities, and saving Canadians and Californians money at the pump.”
– Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
California and Canada are close economic partners, with 1.2 million jobs in California dependent on trade and investment with Canada. California sells US $26.2 billion in goods and services to Canada annually.
Under the current regulations, new 2025 model year light-duty vehicles are expected to burn up to 50% less fuel and emit 50% fewer greenhouse gases than vehicles built in 2008.
Canada has committed to a mid-term review of its light-duty vehicle regulations and preliminary consultations under that review began last year. Environment and Climate Change Canada will make a final decision about the standards for the 2022-2025 period for light-duty vehicles only after completing that review, with full consideration of the costs and benefits of various regulatory options. In making this decision, the government will take into account the importance of the integrated North American auto market as well as uniquely Canadian circumstances.
In total, more than $5.6 billion in automotive sector investments have been announced in Canadian operations since 2015, creating and maintaining tens of thousands of good middle-class automotive jobs.
Today in California, one in ten new cars sold is a plug-in car, and half of all plug-in cars sold in the United States to date—almost 600,000—are in California.
California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard went into effect in 2011 and has helped make the state a leader in advanced clean fuels. To date, California has displaced 3.3 billion gallons of petroleum-based fuels with low-carbon alternatives, including renewable diesel, electricity and renewable natural gas.
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
Report a problem or mistake on this page
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Goodyear appoints Christopher Helsel as chief technology officer
Mr. Helsel currently serves as director, North America commercial and global off-highway technology and brings a wealth of experience in key research and development, technology and business roles in Goodyear.
Mr. Helsel joined Goodyear in 1996 and spent the early years of his career working in a series of roles of increasing responsibility in computer modeling, tire design and technology for consumer, commercial and racing tires.
In 2010, Mr. Helsel was named a global director, overseeing development of technology for consumer and commercial truck tires before relocating to Goodyear's Innovation Center in Luxembourg as director of technology programs.
He went on to lead the company's commercial truck tire retread business in North America prior to assuming his current role earlier this year.
Mr. Helsel earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Cleveland State University and his master's in the same discipline from The University of Akron.


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Croatia, Zinfandel Home, Prepares to Join World Wine Battle
When Croatia was part of Yugoslavia, government policies forced farmers to rip out more than 160,000 hectares of vineyards. Ethnic conflicts in the 1990s destroyed thousands more.
Now, with about 33,000 hectares under vines -- still more than double the amount of New Zealand -- Croatia is looking to fight its way into a saturated global market when it enters the European Union in 2013. Currently, Croatia exports only 5 percent of its 60 million liters annual production, which helps explain why Croatians are third overall in wine consumption.
The discovery that popular California varietal zinfandel was a variant of Croatia’s plavac mali (“little blue”), helped focus attention on a country that once made 650 different wines from 130 varietals.
Another catalyst was Miljenko Grgic, who left Yugoslavia in 1958 and made his fortune as one of California’s premier winemakers under the name Mike Grgich. He returned to help modernize Croatian wineries, opening his own, Grgic Vina, in 1996.
The change from cheap bulk wine to modern viticulture has been rapid, with stainless-steel tanks introduced only in the 1990s. The burgeoning industry is full of youthful enthusiasm, typified by winemakers like 32-year-old Bruno Trapan, from the Istrian peninsula, who invested in the business in 2004 after taking a college winemaking course two years earlier.
“I had no wine knowledge before getting into making it,” said Trapan. “My grandfather planted grapes in a tiny vineyard as a hobby and I was interested. After two vintages making my own wine, I was hooked.”
By 2005 he had purchased 5 hectares and planted a year later, experimenting with international varietals like syrah, never before grown in Croatia. By 2009, Trapan’s was the country’s first organic winery, now with 12 hectares producing everything from traditional malvasia to new entries like chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon.
I spoke with Trapan and two other Croatian vintners over a dinner of lobster, crab cakes, steaks and onion rings at New York’s Porter House.
Trapan’s white Ponente Malvasia Istriana 2010, never aged in oak, had a lovely, bold aromatic nose, which came from seven hours of grape-skin contact, and an ample 13.5 percent alcohol. The 2009 syrah had an odd smell at first, but a little evaporation revealed a Rhone-like varietal character rather than the Australian shiraz style.
Porter House’s wine director, Roger Dagorn, (one of only 180 master sommeliers in the world) stocks a 2008 Dingac plavac mali ($65 retail) from Croatia’s southern coast.
‘Not All Great’
“The few Croatian wines I’ve tasted are not all great,” he said. “But I’m fond of the plavac mali for its unique, Old World earthy character, which is very pleasurable to the American palate. It has good structure, body and fruit, and enough acidity to give it balance.”
I felt the same way about this big-bodied wine with 15 percent alcohol, from the Saints Hills Winery, founded in 2006. Made in low yields, the wine gets plenty of minerality from the steep terraced vineyards in Dalmatia.
Dingac is one of the rare, cherished appellations, dating back to 1961, when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia. Saints Hills is owned by Ernest Tolj, 40, a wealthy entrepreneur and chairman of Eurocable Group, who named his vineyards after his children, Lucia, Roko and Ante, and who hired Bordeaux enologist Michel Rolland as a consultant.
Of all the wines I tasted that evening, the Matosevic Winery Alba Antiqua 2008 ($23) had the most viticultural history behind it. Owner Ivica Matosevic, 47, now considered a visionary in the wine industry, took a degree in landscaping and horticulture at the University of Zagreb, followed by a Ph.D. in Biotechnology in Italy, focusing on the potential of terroir.
Matosevic returned to Croatia in 1996 at a crucial point in the industry’s redevelopment, as director for Istria’s institute for managing natural protected areas. He bottled his own first vintage that year. In 2011 he established the association of Croatian wine producers to represent family estates and small producers.
His Alba Antiqua is 100 percent malvasia istriana, with 12.7 percent alcohol, and with an unusual, highly floral aroma that I learned comes from aging it in acacia barrels.
Matosevic’s Grimalda White 2009 was a blend of 50 percent chardonnay, 25 percent malvasia istriana, and 25 percent sauvignon blanc, a very low-yield wine that showed the triple punch of those grapes -- the rich buttery taste of chardonnay, the floral notes of malvasia and the vegetal flavors of sauvignon blanc.
The Grimalda Red 2009, at a robust 15 percent alcohol, was a blend of 85 percent merlot and 15 percent teran, an acidic varietal that gives a coppery edge to the soft merlot. U.S. retail prices for these two wines aren’t available.
While Porter House was filled that night with people drinking Bordeaux and California cabs, I was happy to sip malvasia istriana with my lobster salad and the Dingac with the sliced steak. And with onion rings, that Croatian syrah really hit the spot.
(John Mariani writes on wine for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)
To contact the writer of this column: John Mariani at firstname.lastname@example.org.
To contact the editor responsible for this column: Manuela Hoelterhoff in New York at email@example.com.


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Fast food giant Burger King has been refused a licence to sell beer at two of London’s busiest rail stations.
Burger King, which is run by firm SSP, wanted a licence to sell beer from 10am until 11pm from Monday to Saturday, and until 10.30pm on Sunday at Victoria and Paddington stations.
But amid strong opposition from the police, PC Bryan Lewis told Westminster council’s measures could put young people at risk, and increase crime and disorder around the stations, the Standard reports.
SSP, which runs Burger King outlets at travel hubs across the globe, applied for a licence to sell beer from 10am until 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am until 10.30pm on Sundays.
Solicitor for SSP, Nicola Smith said that Burger King customers could already purchase alcohol from other restaurants and shops surrounding the station.
"It’s really so that our customers can go to one venue instead of two," she said.


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Christie’s, the public sale home identified for its gross sales of artwork and luxurious gadgets, has launched an funding fund to assist rising firms with know-how enabling “seamless consumption of artwork.”
In a Monday announcement, the public sale firm said the fund, Christie’s Ventures, will financially assist corporations in Web3, “art-related monetary merchandise and options,” and know-how associated to artwork and luxurious items. In line with Christie’s, its first funding will likely be in LayerZero Labs, an organization creating options for enabling omnichain decentralized functions, permitting a extra seamless switch of belongings between blockchains.
“We’ll concentrate on services and products, which may remedy actual enterprise challenges, enhance shopper experiences and increase progress alternatives, each throughout the artwork market instantly and for interactions with it,” stated Christie’s Ventures international head Devang Thakkar.
Christie’s is launching its personal in-house investing agency, Christie’s Ventures. The entity will goal to produce seed funding to younger firms whose applied sciences may in the end assist collectors purchase and promote extra artwork, digital or in any other case. https://t.co/rzGlaVRAfM
— The Wall Road Journal (@WSJ) July 18, 2022
Associated: Christie’s NFT knowledgeable to steer CryptoPunks, pretend heiress launches NFT assortment
The transfer into blockchain-related investments represented one other step for Christie’s to assist ventures within the crypto area. In 2021, the corporate hosted an public sale for a bit of nonfungible paintings from Mike Winkelmann, often known as Beeple, elevating greater than $69 million. Since then, it has held a number of high-profile gross sales for NFT paintings and partnered with the OpenSea on-line market for on-chain auctions.
2022 is shaping as much as be a file 12 months for blockchain-related enterprise funding. As Cointelegraph reported, blockchain- and crypto-focused corporations raised $14.8 billion within the first quarter of the 12 months, almost half of 2021’s totals. Though exercise has waned because of the bear market, startups with a concentrate on Web3 and the Metaverse proceed to draw vital capital.


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Tiffany & Co., the world’s second-largest luxury jewelry retailer, raised its full-year forecast yesterday after posting a first-quarter profit that beat analysts’ estimates as an improving economy enticed consumers to splurge.
Earnings from continuing operations more than doubled to 48 cents a share, Tiffany said.
The largest sales jump was in jewelry priced at $50,000 and up.
Sales at US stores open at least a year, excluding the main store in New York, gained 13 percent.
“The sales increase was broad-based and occurred at all price points,” Mark Aaron, a spokesman said.
The fastest geographic growth was in the Asia-Pacific region, where revenue jumped 50 percent, and in Europe, where it climbed 25 percent, the company said.
For the year, net income climbed to $64.4 million, or 50 cents a share, from $24.3 million, or 20 cents, a year earlier. Revenue in the three months ended April 30 gained 22 percent to $633.6 million, exceeding an average analysts’ estimate of $613.4 million.